Powerful Syria Figure Covers for Woman Who Mauled 3 Police Officers

A picture of the traffic accident in Damascus circulated on social media, Asharq Al-Awsat
A picture of the traffic accident in Damascus circulated on social media, Asharq Al-Awsat
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Powerful Syria Figure Covers for Woman Who Mauled 3 Police Officers

A picture of the traffic accident in Damascus circulated on social media, Asharq Al-Awsat
A picture of the traffic accident in Damascus circulated on social media, Asharq Al-Awsat

Last Sunday night, an unknown influential figure in Syria personally stepped in to disperse internal security forces that surrounded a crime scene where a woman in a four-wheel drive vehicle ran over three policemen and civilians in Al Mazzeh area in the capital, Damascus.

Authorities failed to report the incident on the official website of internal security forces.

Syrian opposition media, such as “Sawt Al Balad” (Voice of the Nation), reported the horrific crime and published a number of pictures shot from the crime scene.

“A female run over police officers, two civilians, and motorbikes while driving recklessly in Al Mazzeh neighborhood,” Sawt Al Balad reported without giving any further details.

Local sources confirmed that the vehicle was a four-wheel drive and was accompanied by an escort vehicle.

Police officers had stopped the vehicle near Al-Mousawwat Hospital for breaking a number of traffic laws. This sent the woman, who was behind the steering wheel, into a frenzy.

She allegedly directed a number of abusive slurs at the officer on duty and contacted her connections for help.

Riding high on hysteria, the woman proceeded to drive frantically, mauling anything in her way, including three police officers and two civilians.

Security forces, eventually, succeeded in cornering and forcing her to step out of the car.

It was then that a very “powerful” individual arrived at the scene announcing that the perpetrator was “one of his” and that they should let her go immediately.

Afterwards, the woman left with this important figure, local sources reported, stressing that neither the perpetrator nor their rescuer were identified.

Those injured in the run over were transported to the nearby Al-Mousawwat Hospital for treatment.

Syrian opposition sources are claiming that the lady in question is Aline Skaf, wife of Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi. She is a Lebanese national and a political refugee in Damascus.

Both she and her husband sought political asylum in Syria after the Gaddafi regime was toppled in Libya in 2012.



Lebanon, Israel Ceasefire Deal Will Take Place in Three Phases and ‘Simultaneous’ Withdrawals

 Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP)
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Lebanon, Israel Ceasefire Deal Will Take Place in Three Phases and ‘Simultaneous’ Withdrawals

 Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP)

Informed sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that US-President elect Donald Trump agreed on the steps that President Joe Biden’s administration will take to ensure the success of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

Israel approved the ceasefire on Tuesday night after Lebanon had already agreed to it.

The sources, which followed up on the negotiations for the 60-day truce, said the steps call for the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters and their weapons from the South where the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is deployed. In return, Israeli forces will withdraw from southern Lebanon.

More negotiations through American mediators will take place throughout the process.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump “gave his blessing” to the process during his meeting with Biden at the White House two weeks ago.

A committee led by the US will oversee the implementation of the withdrawal. France, Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL are also part of the committee.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Hezbollah’s withdrawal will take place in three 20-day phases. The first withdrawal will take place in the western sector.

It will coincide with an Israeli pullout from areas it occupied in that region. A strengthened Lebanese army force and UNIFIL troops will deploy in their place.

The second phase will cover the central sector and follow the same process.

The residents of the frontline southern villages will not be allowed to return to their homes immediately until they are deemed safe and after ensuring that no Hezbollah members or weapons remain there.

Residents of the so-called second and third line of villages south of the Litani River will be allowed to return to their homes immediately.

The source expected the US to play an “effective role” in the mechanism to oversee the withdrawal. It did not clarify whether any American forces will take part in the process.

It revealed that Britain and other countries will “exert special efforts to verify whether illegitimate weapons are being smuggled to Hezbollah.”

The five-member committee will not replace the tripartite committee already in place and that includes Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL.